Press Release

Kia Motors posts 40.4% increase in September global sales

- 155,223 Kia vehicles sold globally in September
- September sales in China, Korea, Europe, North America and general markets post year-on-year sales growth of 130.3%, 60.4%, 27.6%, 23.6% and 11.0%, respectively
- Cumulative sales in 2009 reached 1,187,795 units, representing an 11.8% year-on-year increase
- Cumulatively in 2009, China, Korea, general markets and North America posted year-on-year sales growth rates of 48.3%, 27.2%, 10.4% and 6.4%, respectively
(SEOUL) October 12, 2009 -- Kia Motors Corporation announced today its global sales figures for passenger cars (export sales, domestic sales, and sales from overseas plants), recreational vehicles (RVs), and commercial vehicles for September 2009, recording a total of 155,223 units sold. This figure represents a year-on-year increase of 40.4%.
Kia posted year-on-year sales increases in every region, including China (25,356 units sold, a 130.3% year-on-year increase), Korea (39,006 units, a 60.4% year-on-year increase), Europe (36,037 units, a 27.6% year-on-year increase), North America (26,138 units sold, a 23.6% year-on-year increase) and general markets (28,686 units sold, an 11.0% year-on-year increase).
Cumulatively, through the first nine months of 2009, Kia's global sales increased by 11.8% year-on-year and reached 1,187,795 units. The Chinese market experienced the highest gain with 166,869 units sold to date, representing a 48.3% increase. Korea, general markets and North America showed cumulative year-on-year sales increases of 27.2% (291,525 units sold), 10.4% (213,909 units sold) and 6.4% (274,976 units sold), respectively.
To date in 2009, Kia's best selling model in overseas markets has been the C-segment Cerato (known as 'Spectra' or 'Forte' in some markets) with 208,627 units sold. Kia's Sportage compact SUV and the B-segment Rio followed closely with 127,342 and 125,092 units sold, respectively. The C-segment cee'd takes fourth place with 92,124 units sold, while the Picanto completes the top five with 73,991 units sold.
In terms of vehicle category sold overseas, Kia's passenger and recreational vehicles achieved year-on-year increases in September of 45.0% (76,021 units) and 20.2% (36,985 units), respectively.
Hyoung-Keun Lee, President of Kia Motors Corporation, said, "We are pleased to see Kia post sales growth across all markets this month. Although scrappage programs in many key markets are currently being phased out, we are confident that we are well positioned for continued growth with our new, exciting product introductions that will continue into next year and beyond."
Editor's notes:
*Includes figures from Western and Eastern European markets
**General markets includes the regions of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Asia (excluding China), the Pacific, Middle East and Africa
Related video footage available at The NewsMarket (www.thenewsmarket.com/kiamotors). You can get broadcast-standard or streaming-quality video (for Web use) and print-quality stills. Delivery options include digital FTP transfer and streaming download in a variety of file types including Flash, MPEG-2, QuickTime and Windows Media. Registration and content is free to the media.
###
Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. Nearly 1.5 million vehicles a year are produced in 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia today has over 40,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$14.5 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup -- as well as a EUROTOP partner of UEFA. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.